Pulper



,Oct 18 1949- G. w. DODGE 2,485,368

INVENTOR. E 2 GEORGE WDODGE oct. 1s, 1949. Q W. immm.; 2,485,368

PULPER Filed Jan. 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Shree?l 2 INVENToR. GEORGE h/. Do'

By f- Patented Oct. 18, 1949 PULPER George W. Dodge, Hoosick Falls, N.Y., assignor to The Noble & Wood Machine Company, Hoosick Falls, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application January 9, 1947, Serial No.721,003

My present invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatusfor, repulping paper stock and like material.

Specifically the apparatus of the present invention is an improvementover that shown in Patent No. 1,726,874 granted to Walter Werner onSeptember 3, 1929.

The chief object of this invention is to improve the hydraulic flow ofthe repulper and thereby improve the performance of the apparatus. iAnother object is to improve the repulping and wetting of the paperstock before it is admitted to the extractor unit.

A further object is an improved method of and apparatus for repulpingpaper stock and like material.

A further object is an improved method of and apparatus for efficientlywetting and depulping a large class of materials heretofore unavailablefor this type of apparatus.

A still further object is an improved method of and apparatus forhandling dry material and effectively wetting the same for delivery to abreaking unit.

Other objects and novel features of both the method and the apparatusfor practising the same will appear as the description of the inventionprogresses. l

In the accompanying drawings wherein'I have illustrated a preferredembodiment of my improved method of and apparatus for repulping paperstock:

Figure 1 is a plan view.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, andlooking in the direction of the arrows. f

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, taken on the ,line 3-3 of Fig. 1, andlooking in the'direction of the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

In the apparatus disclosed in the Werner patent or pushed between theroll and plate causing mechanical failure of the apparatus as well asrequiring the use of large power units to drive the apparatus.

6 Claims. (Cl. 92--37) According to my present invention I introduce thedry material to the apparatus and submerge this dry material therebywetting it in its transit to the repulper units and by a continuingforward movement, effected by means of breaking units. g1ve the startingmaterial a preparatory treatment and mixing which effectivelydisintegrates the fibres.

Referring to the drawings, I have designated at IIl the usual tub,substantially rectangular in plan v1ew, and with rounded corners I I tofacilitate the flow of the material to be worked upon.

Within the tub Ill and extending upwardly from the bottom thereof is theusual mid-feather I2, the ends of which are spaced apart from the endwalls of the tub. At the end of the midfeather I2 nearest the right handend of the tub as seen in Fig. 1 is a cross wall I3, which connects saidend of the mid-feather I2 to one side wall of the tub.

The cross wall I3 is provided near the tub bottom with an opening I4which forms a passage for stock and which has side walls extendingaxially of the said opening I4 due to the thickness of the said crossWall I3. The lower part of the side walls of the opening I4 isperforated to provide a discharge outlet into chamber I6 and is furtherprovided across the entrance to the said chamber with an extractorscreen I5. A conduit I1 for carrying the pulped material to a papermaking machine or to a suitable storage receptacle leads from thedischarge chamber I6. Adjacent to the opening I4, and on or forming partof the bottom of the tub I0, and extending across the space. between themid-feather I2 andthe adjacent 'wall of the tub is a back fall I8.

Secured to the inlet side of opening I4 is a stationary breaker unitmember I9 provided with a plurality of arms 20 extending radiallyoutward from a hub 2|. In the hub 2l is formed a bearing which is alinedwith a bearing 22 mounted on a bracket 23 secured to the adjacent endwall of the tub Ill. Rotatably mounted in the bearing in the hub 2| andin the bearing 22 is a shaft 24 provided at its outer end with a pulley25 by means of which said shaft may be connected to any suitable sourceof power (not shown). The shaft 24 extends through a stuiing box 26which is mounted in the adjacent end wall of the tub to prevent leakageof material from the tub.

Secured to shaft 24 within the tub is a series of spaced mixing units 21comprising a multiplicity of spiral shaped arms deflected laterally insuch a direction as to produce a lateral movement of the material beingworked upon and cover in their rotation a projected area equivalent tothe pitch or deflection of the said arms. The units 21 are offsetradially with respect to each other, thereby effecting a series ofimpacts on the material to be repulped in its passage longitudinally ofthe shaft 24 to the breaker unit I9 and extractor screen I5.

The stationary breaker unit member I3 has mounted on the arms 20 thereofrenewable wearing plates 29 in operative relation with a multiplicity ofspiral shaped laterally deflected arms l mounted on a hub 3l secured tothe shaft 24 so as to rotate therewith. The breaker unit exerts ashearing cut on the material fed thereto by the series of mixing units21 before it reaches the extractor screen I5.

Also secured to the shaft 24 to rotate therewith within the extractorscreen I5 is a material propelling member 32, which, in conjunctionlwith the extractor screen I5, exerts a tangential flow of the materialover the extractor screen I5 to force all particles of such material ashave attained the proper size through the screen I5 and into thedischarge chamber I6. The rejected material passes over the back fall I8for recirculation.

The inlet end of the chamber in which are located the mixing units 21connects with the tub l0 in which is introduced the material to berepulped. In order to insure eflcient delivery of the material to saidmixing units, I may place near the upper end of such inlet end asubmerging roll 33. This roll 33 is mounted on a shaft 34 journaled in abearing 35 secured to the midfeather or wall I2 and in an alined bearing36 secured to a bracket 31 fastened to the adjacent end wall of the tubI0.

The submerging roll 33 comprises, in addition to the shaft 34, aplurality of paddle arms 38 mounted on such shaft and blades or plates39 attached to the spirally disposed ends of the arms. 0n the outer endof the shaft 34 is secured a Sprocket wheel 40 which is in alignmentwith a sprocket wheel 4I secured to the shaft 24. Trained over thesprocket wheels 40 and 4| is a sprocket chain 42 by means of whichrotary motion is imparted to the submerging roll 33 from the shaft 24. l

In operation, the material to be repulped is introduced into the tub l0which contains water, or a pulp mixture oats on the surface of the fluidcontained in the tub I0 to the area of the submerging roll 33, where itis wetted and pushed downwardly (see arrows in Figs. 1 and 2) intoposition to be engaged by the mixing units 21. Here it is thrashed, anddisintegrated, and further wetted, and propelled laterally, or to theleft as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and into engagement with the breakingunit comprised of the members I9 and 30. Here the material is furtherdisintegrated and is brought under the influence of the propellingmember 32 within the extractor screen l5. Here the material undergoes afurther disintegration and is swept over the surface of the extractorscreen I5 where all particles of acceptable size pass through the screenI5 and into the discharge chamber I6. All oversize particles are forcedoutward through the opening I4, over the back fall I8 and into the tubI0 for recirculation in the direction of the arrows to pass againthrough the cycle described above.

The apparatus is particularly adapted to the repulping of various typesof Waste materials, such as wet pulp laps or broke, dry shavings, wastepaper, roll slabs or pressed bales, because the wetting, thrashing, andbreaking toI which the material is continuously subjected after beingthoroughly wetted and held within a restrained area and before passingto the propelling and extracting unit allows complete disintegration andprepares the material for acceptance by the extracting unit.

The method of the present invention is new and novel, and the apparatusherein described and claimed permits the practising of the method in themost economical manner.

The apparatus herein shown for practising my improved method is also newand comprises an assemblage of units each interdependent on the othersand all units cooperating to produce a unitary result.

By lining the extractor opening I4 with a wire mesh screen of suchfineness as to prevent the fibres from passing therethrough and out intopipe l1, the apparatus may be readily converted from an extractor to awasher.

Various other changes in the construction and yarrangements of partscomprising my improved apparatus may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and I am therefore not to be limited to thedetails of the structure comprising such apparatus other than asrequired by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: A

1. A pulper comprising a tub including a bottom and sides, an upstandingmidfeather mounted on the bottom but clear of the sides, a cross wallbetween the midfeather and tub side on one side of the said midfeather,the said cross wall being perforated to form an opening for the passageof stock through the said cross wall, side Walls for the said openingextending axially of the said opening and perforated to form a dischargeoutlet, an extractor screen in said discharge outlet adjacent the sidewalls of the said opening, a shaft coaxial with and extendinglongitudinally of said opening, a propeller fast on said shaft to rotatetherewith within said opening located with its blade ends passing inrotation adjacent to the said extractor screen, a breaker unit fixed tosaid cross wall adjacent the inlet side of said opening and comprising astationary breaker member and a cooperating breaker member fast on saidshaft to rotate therewith, and a plurality of longitudinally spacedmixing units fast on said shaft to rotate therewith in advance of saidbreaker unit.

2. Ihe pulper of claim 1, and a rotatable submerging member mountedabove the intake end of said passageway.

3. The pulper of claim 1, and a second shaft mounted above and parallelto said first-named shaft, and a submerging member fast on saidsecond-named shaft at the intake end of said passageway.

4. A pulper comprising a tub having a bottom, sides anda cross wallextending from one sidev within the tub only part way to the other side,the said cross Wall being perforated to form an opening for the passageof stock through the said cross wall, side walls for the said openingextending axially of the said opening and perforated to form a dischargeoutlet, a conduit leading from the said discharge outlet out of the tub,and extractor screen across said discharge outlet adjacent the sidewalls of the said opening, a shaft coaxial with said opening, arevoluble propeller fast on said shaft and disposed within said openingin proximity to said screen, a breaker unit fixed to said cross walladjacent the inlet side of said'opening and comprising a stationarybreaker member and a cooperating revoluble breaker member fast to saidshaft, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced revoluble mixing unitsfast on said shaft in advance of said breaker unit.

5. A pulper comprising a tub having a cross wall provided with anopening, a sidewall axially lining said opening and perforated toprovide a discharge outlet, an extractor screen covering said dischargeoutlet, a shaft coaxial with said opening, a second shaft above andparallel to said first shaft, driving connections for said shafts,`

a revoluble propeller fast on said first shaft and disposed within saidopening in proximity to said screen, a breaker unit xed to said crosswall adjacent the inlet side of said opening and comprising a stationarybreaker member and a cooperating revoluble breaker member fast to saidfirst shaft, a plurality of longitudinally spaced revoluble mixing unitsfast` on said first shaft in adlvance of said breaker unit, and asubmerging member fast on said second shaft above said mixing units.

6. The pulper of claim 5 wherein the first shaft is a drive shaft andthe second shaft is driven from the rst shaft.

GEORGE W. DODGE.

y REFERENCES CITED The Afollowing references are of record in the illeof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

